1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 children are not dismissed yet. 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 For those of you that don't know, this is a big week coming up for us, right? 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,000 We've got VBS this week. 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:22,000 It's our biggest, at least our biggest outreach here in Eldridge every single year. 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:28,000 250 to 300 kids are going to fill this place Monday through Friday. 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:34,000 We're going to do the gospel and we're going to have fun and we're going to do some crafts and all those other things. 7 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,000 We send people out on mission. 8 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,000 We're sending the youth, people in Kenya, we're going to Panama later, Mexico later. 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,000 And when you go on a mission trip, there's this mindset you have, right? 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:49,000 Of I'm on mission and I'm going to share the gospel. 11 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:55,000 I'm going to be intentional with all of that as I'm going. 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:00,000 But reality is this week is our mission for those of you that are serving. 13 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 So we want to commission you as well. 14 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:12,000 And so even as you're making stuff in the kitchen or helping park cars, you are on mission this week for the gospel. 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,000 And so we want you to prepare your minds mentally for that as we do that. 16 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:25,000 So if you were serving in VBS this week, if you would stand. 17 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Awesome. 18 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Awesome. 19 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,000 So I want to pray over you as we commission you to be missionaries here in Eldridge this week. 20 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Will you join me? 21 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,000 Father, we thank you for this day. 22 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,000 And we lay this next week before you. 23 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,000 And we ask you to do amazing things. 24 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,000 You always do amazing things this week. 25 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,000 And we ask you to do the same this week. 26 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:54,000 We pray for salvation to come to children and adults alike this week to hear the gospel. 27 00:01:54,000 --> 00:02:01,000 We pray, Father, that you will empower each and every volunteer to love like you love and to serve like you serve. 28 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,000 And Father, I pray that you will give us all a heart for the children that come. 29 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:14,000 I pray, Father, that you will just use each and every volunteer in whatever space they are serving as they go on mission this week. 30 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,000 And God, I can't wait to see what you do this week. 31 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,000 We ask all these things in your name. 32 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,000 Amen. 33 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,000 Amen. 34 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,000 All right, if you're a child, now you can go. 35 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,000 Deal? 36 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Deal. 37 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:47,000 If you're staying here and you have your Bibles, let's open up to Ephesians chapter 6. 38 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:54,000 When you think about a football team, there's probably a few things that might come to mind. 39 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Whatever your favorite football team is, maybe it's the quarterback. 40 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,000 And you know their stats. 41 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,000 You know a position they were drafted in. 42 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,000 You know whether they're the right person or not. 43 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,000 You know all those things. 44 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,000 You might even know a little bit about their family. 45 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,000 Or maybe you know about the head coach and you either like him or you don't. 46 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:19,000 Maybe you are one of those that thinks that if you were coaching the team, you would do a better job at calling plays. 47 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:25,000 We probably know a couple of the coordinators and a few key players on the team. 48 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:37,000 But few of us, if any of us, know that can name the strength coach or the trainers or the players that only play on special teams. 49 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:50,000 But if you were to ask the players and the coaches on the team, they will tell you that those people, the trainers, the strength coaches and those people are essential to the success of the team. 50 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,000 We don't know their names. 51 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,000 They get no publicity. 52 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,000 They usually get no credit for a win or blame for a loss. 53 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,000 But they are essential to the success of a team. 54 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,000 In a sense, a church is a lot like a football team. 55 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:13,000 There are those who have a more public role in the church like the pastors and teachers and worship team. 56 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:18,000 And then there are those who work behind the scenes who nobody really notices. 57 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:25,000 But those people are just as important to the success of the church as those who are in more public roles. 58 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:33,000 As Paul comes to the end of his letter, he's going to write about someone who was one of those behind the scenes people. 59 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,000 Someone who most of us have probably never paid attention to before. 60 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:46,000 And yet Tickock has played a crucial role in the spread of the gospel and the tremendous growth of the early church. 61 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,000 So I'm going to have Hattie. 62 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:54,000 Hattie's going to come up here and she's going to read our passage this morning and then we're going to dive right into it. 63 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Come on up here, Hattie. 64 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:06,000 I encourage you to stand as we honor the Lord's word together. 65 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:14,000 Ephesians 6, 21 through 24, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 66 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:19,000 Titicus the beloved brother and faithful minister and the Lord will tell you everything. 67 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:29,000 I have sent him to you for this very purpose and that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts. 68 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:35,000 Peace be to the brothers in love with faith from God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 69 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:40,000 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. 70 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,000 Amen. Let's pray. 71 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:42,000 Father, thank you for your word. 72 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,000 We thank you for men like Titicus. 73 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,000 We pray, Father, that you will challenge us this morning with your word. 74 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:53,000 I thank you for Hattie and just how you're growing her and her ability to just read your word in this place. 75 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,000 I pray you honor her for that. 76 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:56,000 We ask all these things in your name. 77 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:57,000 Amen. 78 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,000 I was talking to Hattie right before service and I was like, how do you say his name? 79 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:06,000 And then I think it was Pastor Drew said just say it with confidence, nobody will know. 80 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,000 It's one of those things. 81 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,000 As you go, that's a trick to you. 82 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,000 If you don't know how to say it, just say it confidently, nobody's going to know any different. 83 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:14,000 All right? 84 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:18,000 So we don't know a whole lot about Titicus. 85 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,000 His name means something like chance. 86 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,000 That's what his name means. 87 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:27,000 And we find him, his name mentioned five different times in the New Testament. 88 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,000 In Acts chapter 20, Paul was near the end of his third missionary journey. 89 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,000 He had just left Ephesus. 90 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,000 He planned to return to Jerusalem via Macedonia. 91 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:43,000 He intended to take an offering there, which he would combine with the ones previously taken in Galatia 92 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:48,000 and Achaia and present them to the needy believers in Jerusalem. 93 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:55,000 In addition to meeting the physical needs of the predominantly Jewish believers there, 94 00:06:55,000 --> 00:07:00,000 the offerings were also a means of uniting the predominantly Gentile churches 95 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,000 with the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. 96 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:10,000 Paul was accompanying on this portion of his journey by several representatives of those Gentile churches, 97 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,000 including Titicus. 98 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:19,000 Titicus' willingness to travel with Paul to Jerusalem tells us a lot about his heart. 99 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,000 It might just be a sentence or two, but it tells us a lot about his heart. 100 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,000 This wasn't a fun road trip. 101 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:30,000 This was not, hey, let's get in the car, grab some snacks and go have a good time. 102 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:36,000 Travel in the ancient world was far more difficult and dangerous than it is today. 103 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:45,000 This would be a long, hard trip that would take Titicus away from his family, friends, and his church for quite some time. 104 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:52,000 In spite of the frequent warnings that Paul received along the way about the trouble that awaited him in Jerusalem, 105 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,000 Titicus remained faithful to Paul. 106 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:04,000 In Colossians chapter 4, Paul sent Titicus to Colossae to deliver his letter to the Colossian church. 107 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,000 He was accompanied by Onissimus, who was the runaway slave of Philemon, 108 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:13,000 who had become a believer in Rome under the ministry of Paul. 109 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:20,000 So Titicus is likely carrying the letter to Philemon, who was in Colossae as well. 110 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:25,000 Paul also sends Titicus to Ephesus with his letter to the church there. 111 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:34,000 Because of the time frames involved, it seems likely that Titicus and Onissimus left Rome with all three letters. 112 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:41,000 And the journey they embarked on was dangerous, and it was taxing. 113 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,000 They would have had to cross Italy on foot. 114 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:49,000 They would have had to sail across the Adriatic Sea to Greece, 115 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,000 traverse Greece on foot, and then sail across the Aegean Sea to the coast of Asia Minor. 116 00:08:54,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Now, although Ephesus was a coastal city, it was still another hundred miles or so inland to Colossae on foot. 117 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:08,000 Now, we don't really know, have for sure whether they went to Ephesus or Colossae first, 118 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:13,000 but in any case, this was certainly no vacation. This was not a fun trip. 119 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:23,000 We also hear about him when Paul writes to Titus, where Titicus is on the shortlist of people to become interim pastor there in Crete. 120 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:31,000 Now, when you go through Hebrews chapter 11, we call it the Hall of Faith, the Faith Chapter, 121 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:35,000 Titicus is not mentioned as a hero of our faith. 122 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:44,000 When we look around, Titicus, we find that his contributions to the gospel and to the kingdom of God are invaluable. 123 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:54,000 Even though he might not have known it at the time, Titicus was carrying the inspired word of God to churches in Ephesus and Colossae. 124 00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:05,000 He was carrying these words. Just think, without his faithful service, I wouldn't have been able to preach through Ephesians for nearly the last two years 125 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:14,000 because we wouldn't have that letter today. And we, along with generations of Christ followers, would have missed out on the riches of that letter. 126 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:23,000 I want us to consider, just for a few minutes this morning, who this guy was, because I doubt that you would ever, 127 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:29,000 that you've ever thought that he would be a good person to model your Christian life after. 128 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:37,000 He isn't Moses, he isn't David, he's not John the Baptist or any of the other apostles, 129 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:42,000 but you and I should be able to relate to him more than any of those other people. 130 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:48,000 Without people like Titicus, the gospel would not have spread like it did. 131 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:55,000 I want us to consider some of the attributes that Titicus has, that we should, as believers in Jesus, that we should try to emulate. 132 00:10:55,000 --> 00:11:02,000 The first thing is he is faithful. Titicus is faithful. That's how Paul describes him in his letters to Colossians and Ephesians. 133 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:07,000 Titicus remained faithful to Paul for at least 13 years, maybe even more. 134 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:14,000 He stayed by Paul's side even when that was the last thing that was easy to do. 135 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,000 He didn't leave Paul when he was warned about trouble to come in Jerusalem. 136 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:26,000 He didn't leave Paul when he was imprisoned and he didn't desert him when many others did towards the end of Paul's life. 137 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:30,000 Paul also describes Titicus as a dear brother. 138 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:38,000 Certainly he's referring to the fact that Titicus was a follower of Jesus and we're all brothers and sisters under that name. 139 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:47,000 But the phrase indicates an even deeper relationship, one that was based more than just the common faith in Jesus. 140 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:53,000 We have a lot of people in our church that are like Titicus because of their faithfulness. 141 00:11:53,000 --> 00:12:00,000 They're the kind of people who stick with this body through thick and thin. 142 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:07,000 They're here when our finances are in really good shape and they're here when we've had to tighten our belts. 143 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:15,000 They're here every Sunday even when the weather would be really nice to go out and play around a golf or go on a picnic. 144 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:23,000 They come and worship with their heart every single week even if we don't sing the types of songs they sing. 145 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,000 They want us to sing. 146 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Or if we sing too many hymns they're still here faithfully. 147 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:43,000 They're the kind of people who put everything they have into preparing a lesson for our elementary students in kids church or Sunday school. 148 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:48,000 And are prepared to teach that lesson even if nobody shows up to the class. 149 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:55,000 They're the people who will tell you that they will pray for you and then they will do it every single time. 150 00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:02,000 They're the single moms who pour out their heart and soul into raising their children even when they're totally exhausted. 151 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:11,000 They're the people who shout for work every day and put in a full day's work for a day's pay even if nobody ever recognizes their effort. 152 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,000 They're the people who call church hoppers who bail when things happen that they don't agree with. 153 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:19,000 They are, Tick-a-Kiss is faithful. We need to be faithful. 154 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:25,000 Tick-a-Kiss was also trustworthy because Tick-a-Kiss had proven himself to be trustworthy. 155 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,000 Paul was able to give him more and more responsibility. 156 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:38,000 Tick-a-Kiss lived out the concept of trustworthiness that Jesus himself had communicated in the parable of the talents. 157 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:49,000 What was really interesting to me in that parable is the master had the exact same commendation for the man who had turned five talents into ten, 158 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:55,000 as he did for the man who was given only two talents and turned them into four. 159 00:13:55,000 --> 00:14:02,000 To Tick-a-Kiss, accompanying Paul to Jerusalem may not have seemed like that big of a deal. 160 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:12,000 He's just helping out, but Paul was able to discern his trustworthiness in that matter and felt comfortable giving him increasing responsibility over the years. 161 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:22,000 But what is most noteworthy is that Tick-a-Kiss proved he was trustworthy no matter how big or how small the task that he had been given. 162 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:30,000 He proved to be trustworthy right where he was, no matter what circumstances that God had placed him in. 163 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:37,000 We have a lot of people in this congregation who are heroes because they are trustworthy. 164 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:43,000 A lot of them do things behind the scenes that you will never see, that you will never know about. 165 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:50,000 They make coffee, they prepare meals, they work in the nursery, they work in the children's church, they run sound or the computer, 166 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:56,000 things that you don't ever pay attention to, they move tables and chairs, they set up, they clean up. 167 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:05,000 And because they are trustworthy in those things, they free others up who are trustworthy in teaching and preaching God's word. 168 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:11,000 I'm so grateful for those people, for those of you that serve in so many different ways. 169 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:18,000 Because of their trustworthiness, many of them will be given more responsibility here in this body. 170 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:26,000 But even if they never get that opportunity, one day they will be given an even bigger trust in God's eternal kingdom 171 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:34,000 because they have been trustworthy with what God has given them to do right where they are right now. 172 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,000 We need to be trustworthy. 173 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,000 Tick-a-Kiss got involved. 174 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:47,000 We live in a culture where we tend to retreat into our own little bubbles, where we don't want to be bothered, 175 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,000 and we don't want to bother anybody else. 176 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,000 That's why the drive-through is so popular, right? 177 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:58,000 You can just drive through, you can interact with one or two people, and then you can go eat your meal in the car or somewhere else by yourself. 178 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,000 You don't have to bother with anybody, it's more convenient that way. 179 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,000 That's why movie theaters are dying. 180 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:12,000 Because why go sit in a movie theater with a bunch of people when I can create a home entertainment system at my house and stream whatever I want? 181 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:18,000 But that kind of lifestyle was totally foreign to someone like Tick-a-Kiss. 182 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:26,000 Even from the few pictures we get in the Bible, it's obvious that he was willing to get involved in the lives of other people. 183 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Paul certainly recognized that quality in Tick-a-Kiss' life. 184 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:35,000 That's why he sends his companion to the churches in Ephesus and Colossae, not just to deliver his letters, 185 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:40,000 but to interact with the people in those churches, to learn their stories. 186 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:48,000 He is confident that Tick-a-Kiss has the ability to inform the people personally about how Paul is doing, 187 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:52,000 and to reassure them of what is going on in Paul's ministry. 188 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:58,000 We have people in this church who are heroes because they're willing to get involved in the lives of others. 189 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,000 They pray earnestly for the needs of others. 190 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:06,000 But then they also do what they can to meet those needs. 191 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,000 They drive friends to doctor's appointments. 192 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:14,000 They prepare meals for those who are sick or hurting or mourning. 193 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,000 They go repair the fence on the house of a single mom. 194 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,000 They buy groceries for a family in need. 195 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,000 They sit with a friend in a hospital while a family member is in surgery. 196 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,000 They listen when someone just needs somebody to talk to. 197 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Because of our culture, there is a temptation. 198 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,000 I've seen it throughout every church I've ever been a part of. 199 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:41,000 To come to church and leave as soon as we say amen. 200 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,000 Come to church and leave as soon as we say amen. 201 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:47,000 I hear lots of things. I hear lots of stories. 202 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:55,000 I don't want to get close to someone in the church because I have some church hurt. 203 00:17:55,000 --> 00:18:02,000 I don't want to invest a lot of time in people because they will move away or they're going to betray me. 204 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Believe me, I understand all of that. 205 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,000 I understand all of those concerns. 206 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:13,000 In my opinion, there was no one who has more church hurt than a pastor's family. 207 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:17,000 And I'm still telling you it's worth it. 208 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,000 The good far outweighs the bad. 209 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:27,000 When my boys started playing baseball years ago, they were afraid of getting hit by a pitch. 210 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:33,000 So they would duck every time I threw the ball at them. 211 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,000 Now, granted, I hit them occasionally. 212 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,000 But they would duck every time. 213 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:45,000 They would stand as far away from the plate as they possibly could and still be in the batter's box. 214 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:50,000 But you can't hit dingers if you're afraid of the ball. 215 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:58,000 You can't experience the beauty of the church if you're afraid to make yourself known and get involved. 216 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,000 We have to be involved, be like Tick-a-Kiss. 217 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:05,000 Finally, we see that Tick-a-Kiss is an encourager. 218 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:14,000 In both Ephesians and Colossians, Paul writes that he is sending Tick-a-Kiss so that he can encourage their hearts. 219 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:20,000 Now, there's no doubt the people of these churches knew of Paul's imprisonment. 220 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,000 And they were probably worried and concerned about him personally. 221 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:34,000 But they also had to recognize that his imprisonment also meant that they could face the same kinds of persecution that he's facing. 222 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:38,000 Because of their faith, they were running the risk of being imprisoned as well. 223 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:44,000 Because of their faith, they were running the risk of being murdered or martyred as well. 224 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:54,000 And so Paul is trusting Tick-a-Kiss enough to go tell them of his ministry, but also more importantly, to encourage them in their faith. 225 00:19:54,000 --> 00:20:03,000 He's so confident in Tick-a-Kiss to diminish their concerns about him and encourage them to continue to be bold in their faith as well. 226 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:08,000 Now, we probably all know people who have the spiritual gift of encouragement. 227 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:14,000 I know that I'm thankful for so many of you in this body that have the gift and use it to build up others. 228 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:23,000 But even if we don't have the spiritual gift of encouragement, all of us have the ability to encourage others within this body. 229 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:30,000 That's why there's so many commands throughout the New Testament that instruct all believers to encourage one another. 230 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:36,000 It's the responsibility of all of us whether we have the spiritual gift or not to encourage one another. 231 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:43,000 We have people in this body who are invaluable to this church because they are encouragers. 232 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:52,000 They notice the people who are doing some things behind the scenes, and they take time to give thanks and give those people a word of encouragement. 233 00:20:52,000 --> 00:21:01,000 They're the people who don't just believe it when someone tells them that they are fine, but they can see because they know them so well, 234 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:07,000 because they're gifted with that way that the other person is really hurting. 235 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:16,000 And then they do what they can to encourage the other person, even if it merely means listening to what the other person has to say. 236 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,000 They're the ones who come alongside people who are really struggling in their lives and say, 237 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:27,000 I'm not sure what I can do for you, but I'm here for you. 238 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,000 And when that happens, we can believe them. 239 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,000 They're the ones who ask, how can I pray for you? 240 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,000 And they sit down in that moment and pray for that person. 241 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,000 It's not just an empty promise. 242 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:47,000 They're the ones who make a telephone call or drop someone a note just to let them know that they are thinking of them. 243 00:21:47,000 --> 00:22:00,000 In our journey through Ephesians over the last almost two years, one of the most significant overall themes of Paul's letters to us as followers of Jesus is that we need each other. 244 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,000 We need each other. 245 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:09,000 God never intended for any of his children to try and make it on their own outside of the body of Christ. 246 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:17,000 That's why this Sunday morning gathering our small groups, our fellowship times, our get-togethers are so important. 247 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:22,000 And in order for us to do that, we all need to be like Ticacus. 248 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:29,000 Not the kind we'll read about on the front page of the newspaper or against all the publicity or maybe on the evening news, 249 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,000 but we need to be like Ticacus. 250 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:43,000 Ordinary people who are committed to being faithful, who are committed to being trustworthy, who are committing to being involved and are committed to being in encouragement. 251 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:50,000 When I threw out the idea a couple years ago, when I first got here, about going line by line through Ephesians, 252 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:56,000 there was a little bit of apprehension from some because we'd never done that in the church before. 253 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Are they going to get bored with it? 254 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,000 Is it going to be too long? 255 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:08,000 Well, with the exception of one verse, which we're going to cover next week, we made it through. 256 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:19,000 And I hope that going through this book has been encouraging and challenging and convicting for you just as it has been for me. 257 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:27,000 For Paul, this letter to the church at Ephesus did not represent the end, but rather it represents the beginning. 258 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:38,000 His intent was that everything that he had written in this letter would serve as a catalyst for his readers to go on to deeper spiritual maturity 259 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:45,000 as they came to know God much more intimately and to serve him with even more devotion. 260 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:53,000 So Paul closed this with a benediction where he prays for God to bestow three things on his readers. 261 00:23:53,000 --> 00:24:01,000 There is a sense in which these three attributes taken together really summarize everything that Paul has written in this letter. 262 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:06,000 And as we close this book, let us consider those three things that we should pray for. 263 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,000 First, he prays that God might give them peace. 264 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:17,000 Earlier in his letter, Paul had written that Jesus is our peace. 265 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:26,000 And we've seen throughout our journey the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection is the source of true peace, 266 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,000 both peace with God and peace with others. 267 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:35,000 Jesus broke down every single wall that separates us from others. 268 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:44,000 He tore it down, whether it be religion or race or social class or gender or political party or geography. 269 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:51,000 And it's Paul's prayer as well as mine that we would not do anything in this body, 270 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:57,000 that we would not do anything as a body of believers to put those walls back up again. 271 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:06,000 If you feel animosity towards someone in this church, will you pray for the peace of God to fill you? 272 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:13,000 I've said it many times over the last few weeks that our enemies are not in this church, 273 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:18,000 our enemy is Satan, who fills our minds with lies and deceit. 274 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,000 We need the peace of God. 275 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,000 Next, Paul prays that they might experience God's love. 276 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,000 But you'll notice that there's a qualifier there. 277 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:32,000 He desires that they have love with faith. 278 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:39,000 Now, there's a sense in which God loves every man, but the only ones who can experience that love and all of its fullness 279 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:44,000 are those who have faith to trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 280 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:52,000 It's the kind of love that Paul describes in chapter 1, where he describes what God has done for his children 281 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,000 completely apart from their own man. 282 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,000 That's what chapter 1 was about. 283 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:05,000 We must constantly keep that sacrificial love in mind as the basis for everything we do to serve a God 284 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:10,000 who has loved us completely and at such a great cost. 285 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:15,000 It's been my experience that when I feel bitterness towards someone, 286 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:22,000 the best thing that I can do for my own heart is to figure out a way to show them love. 287 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,000 Sometimes that's sending them a gift card so they can go out to dinner. 288 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,000 Sometimes it's writing them a note of encouragement. 289 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:33,000 It has to cost me something, whether that be resources or time. 290 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:42,000 It has to cost me something to show love because that's the best example of Jesus towards us. 291 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,000 We need to pray for God's love. 292 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:49,000 Finally, Paul prays that they might experience God's grace. 293 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:55,000 The book of Ephesians is certainly all about that grace. 294 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:59,000 Without it, none of us could experience a relationship with God. 295 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:05,000 Without it, none of us could even begin to live a life that would please him. 296 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:11,000 We must also keep that grace in mind as we relate to others in our body. 297 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:17,000 We need to treat others with the same kind of grace that God has bestowed upon us. 298 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:23,000 But you'll notice that Paul doesn't pray this prayer for everyone. 299 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:27,000 The peace, the love, and the grace of God 300 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:33,000 are reserved only for those who love Jesus when they're undying love. 301 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:38,000 So the obvious question we must ask ourselves this morning is, 302 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:45,000 do I love Jesus with an undying love? 303 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,000 Do I love Jesus with an undying love? 304 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:56,000 Do I desire to get into his word every single day so that I can know him better? 305 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:01,000 Do I think about him often throughout the day? 306 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:06,000 Do I use my time and talents and resources that he has given me 307 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,000 in a way that brings honor to him? 308 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,000 Do I obey him? 309 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,000 Do I live with an undying love for him? 310 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Or is my love for him dependent on how I'm feeling that day? 311 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,000 Is it dependent on where I am? 312 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:29,000 What environment I'm in? Do I only love him when I'm here? 313 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,000 Do I love him with an undying love? 314 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:35,000 We have to ask ourselves that question. 315 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:41,000 Because that's who the peace and love and grace that Paul prays for. 316 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,000 For some of you, you're undying love for Jesus, maybe very young. 317 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:50,000 You've just started to figure out what it means to love him. 318 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,000 You're doing your best. 319 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,000 But you really do love him with all your heart. 320 00:28:55,000 --> 00:29:01,000 And day by day, you get to know him and love him better. 321 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,000 I love my wife. I hope y'all know that. 322 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:09,000 But the love I have for her today is far different than the love I have for her when we first got married. 323 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:15,000 If you've been married for any amount of time, you know what that means, right? 324 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:20,000 And so as throughout the years, I've learned what it means to love her unconditionally. 325 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,000 I've learned what it means to love her in an undying way. 326 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:30,000 And so if you're young in your faith, just keep at it more and more every single day. 327 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:35,000 And you're going to look back 20 years from now and realize that the love you have for him today 328 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:40,000 that burns in you is not even close to what you have. 329 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,000 More and more we need to do. 330 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:47,000 For others, you've loved Jesus for a long time. 331 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,000 You've blown it along the way. That's for sure. Many of us have. 332 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,000 Maybe many times, but you really do love him. 333 00:29:55,000 --> 00:30:01,000 And your love for him doesn't look the same today as it did when you first loved him. 334 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:06,000 For all of us who have been here for this spiritual basic training, 335 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,000 for this getting ready for this battle, 336 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:15,000 I pray that all of us can honestly say that our love for Jesus is more mature 337 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,000 than it was when we started this thing. 338 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,000 If not, then perhaps we need to ask ourselves, 339 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,000 do we really love Jesus with an undying love? 340 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,000 If you are not maturing in your faith, 341 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:32,000 if you're not understanding his goodness and grace more and more and more each and every day, 342 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,000 we need to really ask ourselves, do I love him with an undying love? 343 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,000 Or have I learned some sort of religion? 344 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:41,000 Have I learned some sort of behavior? 345 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:45,000 I also know that it's very possible that there are some of you here who would honestly say 346 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,000 that you've never really ever loved Jesus. 347 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:55,000 Maybe even considered that you've never even considered before that you need to love him, 348 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,000 that you need to have a relationship with him. 349 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,000 Or maybe you've known about Jesus for a long time, 350 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,000 but you've never made that commitment to love him with an undying love. 351 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:10,000 That's why we're here this morning, each and every Sunday. 352 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:15,000 We want to communicate to you as often and as frequently as we can 353 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:20,000 that that is the best decision that you can ever make. 354 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:28,000 I would love nothing more to do, nothing more today than to have that conversation with you. 355 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,000 It's more important than who you're going to marry, 356 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,000 it's more important than what job you get. 357 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:38,000 This is life and death for eternity here. 358 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:44,000 And I want to help you understand that this undying love that I have for Jesus 359 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,000 is the best thing that I can ever offer you. 360 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:53,000 And so Paul ends this thing with that prayer. 361 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,000 May they have the peace of God. 362 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,000 May they have the love of God and may they have the grace of God 363 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:09,000 so that they can persevere as the battle rages on. 364 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:17,000 This is the 59th week that we've been in Ephesians. 365 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:21,000 And it's been challenging. 366 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000 And it's always amazing to me when we go line by line, 367 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,000 when we pick a verse and we're going line by line, 368 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:32,000 how the Lord's sovereignty, as I outline a passage, 369 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:39,000 and when we get to a passage, how we're dealing with that particular issue in the church. 370 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,000 At that particular time. 371 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:47,000 It shouldn't, but it always blows my mind that God is so good and faithful in that way. 372 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:52,000 So if you're here today, and we're wrapping it up, 373 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:57,000 we'll do one more verse next week, bonus points if you tell me what verse that is next week. 374 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,000 Because I skipped one. 375 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:07,000 But you're here today, not by chance, but by the sovereignty of God to hear 376 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,000 that you and I need to be like Ticacus. 377 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,000 We need to be faithful. 378 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,000 We need to be trustworthy. 379 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,000 We need to get involved in the lives of others. 380 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:18,000 We need to get involved in the church. 381 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:22,000 We need to be an encouragement to the church. 382 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:27,000 So this challenge is for all of us that are here this morning. 383 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:32,000 And so I don't know where you fall in that realm of the list that we gave, 384 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,000 of the characteristics of Ticacus. 385 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:40,000 But if there's an area of weakness, or there's an area where you're not that plugged in, 386 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:44,000 or you're not that faithful, or not that trustworthy, 387 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,000 then I want you to take this as an encouragement. 388 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:51,000 That this is the Lord asking you what's it going to take? 389 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,000 What's it going to take to become more faithful? 390 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,000 What's it going to take to get involved? 391 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,000 What's it going to take for you to be trustworthy? 392 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:04,000 How is God going to use you in this place to be an encouragement to our fellow believers? 393 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,000 And so I'm going to close this out with a prayer. 394 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,000 I'm going to invite the worship team to come back up. 395 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:16,000 And as we sing one more song together, 396 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:23,000 may this go beyond just looking at a screen and singing the words on it. 397 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:29,000 Will we pray those prayers over us that God will give us His peace, 398 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:32,000 that He will show us His love, 399 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:36,000 that He will give us His grace as we do the same to others? 400 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:40,000 And how the Lord convicts and how the Lord moves is up to Him. 401 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:45,000 That's my prayer. Let's pray. 402 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Father God, I pray right now that you will send your Holy Spirit to empower us. 403 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:58,000 You will send your Holy Spirit to speak to us. 404 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,000 God, we thank you for the peace that you give us. 405 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,000 We thank you for Jesus that brings that peace. 406 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,000 We are able to have peace with you. 407 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,000 We're able to have peace with others. 408 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:15,000 I pray, Father, that you pour out your peace on each and every one of us this morning. 409 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,000 God, we thank you for your love towards us, 410 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:21,000 the sacrificial love that gave up everything for us, 411 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:25,000 help us as a church, love in the same way, 412 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:30,000 sacrificially, where it costs us something. 413 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:35,000 And God, we thank you for your grace. 414 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:40,000 None of us in this room are good enough for it. 415 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:46,000 None of us in this room can earn it, but you give it to us anyway. 416 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,000 And so, Father, I pray that you will help us be a church that gives grace, 417 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:54,000 even when people don't deserve it. 418 00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:03,000 So, Father, help us be a church filled with people like Ticacus. 419 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:08,000 That's faithful in the small things, and then faithful in the bigger things. 420 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:14,000 We're so grateful for this letter. 421 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,000 I pray, Father, that it will not be an end, but it will be a beginning 422 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:24,000 as all of us mature in our faith each and every day. 423 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:25,000 Give us an undying love for you. 424 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:34,000 It's your name, we pray.